May 22

Scotland Vacations: Staying In Stranraer

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The nation of Scotland is a splendid destination in which to take a couple of weeks vacation. The nation great for a large amount of varying vacations, featuring extensive expanses of lovely countryside with incomparable amounts of sites of outstanding natural beauty (perfect for ramblers, hikers, hill-walkers, mountain climbers and the likes). The country also features some of the smartest attractions, including, some of the most interesting galleries and museums in the whole of the United Kingdom, majestic spots, stately homes, castles, fortified houses and historical buildings plus much more. In the article below I discuss Stranraer.

Stranraer is a town located in southerly Scotland in the district of Dumfries & Galloway, it is most widely known for it being where it is possible to sail to Belfast in Northern Ireland. Regrettably the largest numbers of tourists fail to see some of the tourist attractions in and around Stranraer. This fact is something of a puzzle, if you arrive at the town, and book a room in a Stranraer bed & breakfast, a day early you can get to see a couple of the local attractions before sailing to the city of Belfast.

There are a selection of things to see and do in the town including the medieval tower house of the Castle of St John situated in the centre of Stranraer. The castle was built in 1510 as a residence for the Laird of Wigtownshire, Ninian Adair of Kilhurst. The castle underwent restoration, during 1988/89, in 1988/89, by Wigtown District Council who made it available to the public in 1990.

Another attraction close to the town is the gardens at Castle Kennedy. The castle is the centrepiece of the gardens which are situated, between 2 lochs, on a hill (it is important to know that you are not allowed to visit the ruins. The castle’s gardens extend across 75 acres. You can purchase plants from a store which has grown them from seed and plants in the gardens.

A further lovely visitor attraction worth seeing is Glenluce Abbey, about seven miles from Stranraer. Although Glenluce Abbey is ruined (actually the most ruined of a trio of Cistercian monasteries found in the South West of Scotland) it has an incredible fifteenth-century Chapter House. Other places worth consideration include, the Machars, Port Logan, Portpatrick and the Mull of Galloway.

If you are thinking about taking a vacation in Stranraer you will be pleased to learn that there is a reasonable selection of Stranraer hotels. Please take a look at our extensive listings of Stranraer hotels and guest house accommodation.

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Dec 05

Amazing Vacations In York

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Many folk are deciding to take vacations closer to home this year. For the majority of us it is to cut costs but is this a wise decision or a terrible mistake? Frequently many of us fail to see the many local tourist attractions but they are frequently brilliant and far better than those we see somewhere else. Folk resident in the UK have a mindblowing list of vacation destinations each of which has a massive selection of top class visitor attractions to visit. In the following article I introduce the English city of York and hotels in York.

York is situated in the English county of Yorkshire and was, hundreds of years ago, the capital city of a huge kingdom covering most of northern England. In such an ancient city it will not be an enormous surprise to discover a large collection of incredibly old buildings, but you might not expect the astounding sight of the 12th century Gothic York Minster.

The earliest incarnation of York Minster was a humble church of wood in which the Northumbrian King Edwin was baptised in 627. It wasn’t until the time of the Norman Conquest that the earliest sunstantial construction made from stone appeared on the site. Constructed by Thomas of Bayeux, a Norman Archbishop it was extended by Archbishop Roger who constructed a north transept and a south transept. Following many more alterations it was declared complete and consecrated in 1472. Inside has the biggest medieval stained glass window in the world. York has other places to visit including; the National Railway Museum, the Jorvik Viking Centre, Barley Hall, The Shambles, York Castle Museum and York Dungeon.

On top of all of the incredible historic and ancient tourist attractions introduced above, York is an exciting place to go out partying in or experience live music, the opera or theatre. It that doesn’t thrill you then you could visit a pub instead there are certainly plenty to choose from, including; Old Star Inn, Oscars Wine Bar, The Bluebell Inn, the Slug and Lettuce and The Royal Oak, and, lastly, the Black Swan. Of all of them the Black Swan is probably the finest with a superb atmosphere and sometimes having live music.

B&B Accommodation In York

Like many other UK cities you will find a massive variety of York bed and breakfast accommodation ranging from cheap and cheerful guest houses to first class hotels. The Middlethorpe Hall hotel is just two miles from the city centre of York but provides superb accommodation with it’s own private gardens, gym, sauna and steam room, and it also offers massages. Other top York hotels include; Marriott on Tadcaster Road, Hotel du Vin and Bistro, Parsonage Country House Hotel and Bishops at 135 Holgate Road and one of the best guest houses is Crossways on Wigginto Road, or if you are looking for something different why not consider Marmadukes Boutique Hotel.

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Nov 23

Spending Time In Birmingham, England and Things You Need To Know

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Currently increasing numbers folk are seeking new holiday destinations which have something completely different or, at the very least something rather than the common vacation on a sunny beach. During this, so called, credit crunch the majority of us are, unfortunately coming to the inevitable conclusion that they have dramatically less cash for investing in a vacation and are, frustratingly, having to making cutbacks to stretch their cash further. A way of meeting this requirement is to search out a less expensive resort. The article below introduces readers to Birmingham,  a city in England. With the English pound so weak against the dollar and euro guest houses and hotels in Birmingham are a bargain.

You will find Birmingham in the county of England called the West Midlands  and the inhabitants of the city are referred to as being “Brummies”. The accent of Birmingham sounds like many other northern English dialects and it is rather tricky to understand fully what is being spoken a struggle which is exaggerated if if you are new to such accents. Thankfully the vast majority of Brummies are extremely polite, helpful and kind and do their utmost to help you understand so if the need arises don’t be afraid to approach folk about directions and help or guidance in locating  bed & breakfast in Birmingham.

The city has  a superb collection of places to visit and things to do including some interesting and informative galleries and museums, for example the Barber Institute of Fine Arts and the new museum in the Eastside called Thinktank. The city of Birmingham also features an impressive number of hectares of woodland and parks, Sutton Park being the largest with 2,400 acres making it the very largest urban nature reserve in the whole of Europe.

The city features a varied and vibrant nightlife with many restaurants, cafes, wine bars, bars and nightclubs. You will find most in one of the city’s squares, Victoria Square, Centenary Square, St Martin’s Square, Chamberlain Square, the historic Old Square at Corporation Street, Rotunda Square and the Gas Street Basin. Gas Street Basin is the central hub of the city’s canal system. Birmingham has about 32 miles of canals with between eight canals which were built in the 18th century and continued being used until the late twentieth century. Today the Gas Street Basin has been renovated and regenerated and is now a rather nice tourist attraction.

As an alternative to a hotel why not think about apartments in Birmingham. If you If you are considering a Birmingham vacation you will need to know that the closest airport is approximately eight miles east of the the city center just off the A45 and near the M42 (junction 6). You will find there is a useful number of guest houses and hotels close to the airport.

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Nov 13

Idyllic destinations – Australia’s Tamborine Mountain

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Located approximately 60 kilometres south of Queensland’s capital city of Brisbane, Tamborine Mountain is a volcanic plateau set within Australia’s Gold Coast hinterland.

An outpouring of lava from nearby Mount Warning – many millenia ago – created Tamborine Mountain’s lush, forested plateau which is approximately 8 km long by 5 km wide and now sits 600 metres above sea level.

The many attractions of Mount Tamborine and its charming villages include craft and antique shops, cafes and restaurants and numerous galleries which attract thousands of tourists every season.

The area is also known for its award-winning wineries with many offering tours, free tastings and affordable meals in beautiful surroundings. If you enjoy walking, nine National Parks within the Tamborine Mountain region await you. Shady walking tracks lead through magnificent subtropical rainforest and past breathtaking waterfalls, natural swimming holes and rock pools. Sun dappled picnic, BBQ and rest areas pepper the way and spectacular lookouts offer stunning views towards the ocean as well as to the West over the hinterland.

The Rainforest Discovery Skywalk is one of the latest Tamborine Mountain attractions and was completed in early 2009. Set on 30-acres of awe-inspiring rainforest and alongside a tumbling creek, the Skywalk consists of an eco walking trail that leads to a 40m-long platform set 30m above the rainforest canopy. A short drive away, another popular attraction are the Glow-worm Caves that offer guided underground sightseeing tours through two spectacular man made caves filled with thousands of glow worms.

The rich volcanic soil of the area supports a diversity of horticulture which can be enjoyed on nature walks as well as by visiting the local Botanic Gardens. The bounty of many Tamborine Mountain residents’ gardens is also on display at several roadside stalls that abound with kiwi fruit, rhubarb, avocados and macadamia nuts quaintly displayed around an ‘Honesty Box’.

This small plateau also thrives with animal and bird life. Platypus, green tree frogs, scrub turkeys, wallabies and of course koalas form part of the Mountain’s varied range of wildlife and in the morning, the calls of lorikeets, kookaburras and lyrebirds can be heard.

The state of Queensland is known as Australia’s Sunshine State and on Tamborine Mountain, you can enjoy abundant sunshine year-round but without the heat and humidity that the more northerly parts of Queensland often endure.

The surfing beaches, shopping malls, theme parks (including Warner Brothers and Sea World) plus many other Gold Coast attractions are a comfortable 40-minute drive from Mount Tamborine while Brisbane is one hour away, making the Mountain the ideal ‘base-camp’ location from which to explore south-east Queensland.

The nearest international airport is Brisbane’s, however national travellers often opt for Coolangatta (Gold Coast) airport, a mere 45-minute drive from Tamborine Mountain.

Whether you are parents-to-be seeking a tranquil Babymoon destination, a newly engaged couple looking for that perfect Honeymoon location or if you are simply looking for the best Tamborine retreat you will delight in the serene privacy of Mount Tamborine’s Witches Falls Cottages.

Witches Falls Cottages offer an idyllic retreat to nature and consist of very private cottages tucked away along rainforest pathways in one of Tamborine Mountain’s and perhaps even Australia’s most secluded and peaceful locations.

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